Bright Future
by Luminous Mist
Summary: Told from Bella’s view. Renesmee never existed. Bella and Edward go to Dartmouth. And the story unfolds from there.


Title TBD

Summary: Told from Bella's view. Renesmee never existed. Bella and Edward go to Dartmouth. And the story unfolds from there.

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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Twilight saga. As much as I wish I do, I don't.

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The story begins near the end of Bella and Edward's honeymoon, assuming Bella never got pregnant, of course.

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Chapter One: New Home

"I don't think I'm ready to leave yet, Edward," I sighed. I knew it was ridiculous to want to stay on Isle Esme for any longer, but it was just so… perfect.

"Bella, we've been here for nearly a month and a half. People miss us. We also have to go to Dartmouth soon. As much as I want to stay here, and you know I do, we really need to be getting home," he reasoned, in his velvet-soft voice. Stupid persuasive vampire.

"Okay, okay. But only because we have to fly to New Hampshire soon," I clarified. As soon as I discovered just how good my human life can be, I came up with a way to make it last just a little longer. Dartmouth. Both Edward and I had already been accepted, but I'd opted, much to Edward's dismay, to be changed into a vampire before the semester. I'd _thought_ that being changed was going to be top on my to-do list until it happened, but apparently one night in paradise was all it took to change my mind.

"Are you sure you want to go to college? I don't want to force you into anything," he said. Edward was so perfect, always trying to make me happy.

"If I remember correctly, it was my idea to go to Dartmouth. My immortality can wait. Besides, I probably won't look any different if I'm changed at twenty or so…" I trailed off. I'd planned to be changed before my nineteenth birthday, which had already passed during the extended honeymoon.

"It's just that, you seemed so sure you wanted to be changed as soon as possible," he replied.

"Like I said before, I now have a _reason_ to want to stay human. A good one, too. So, we might as well go to college and spend the time well," I explained.

"Alright, then. I have no problem with college, I just wanted to make sure it was what you wanted," he assured me.

"Believe me, it _is_ what I want. So I guess we have to start packing now, huh?" I asked, a little depressed at the thought, yet still looking forward to seeing everyone again. My depression quickly faded as I realized that I would get to see Charlie again. But then it returned, as I remembered Jacob. And I'd been doing so well at trying to forget…

"Unfortunately, yes. It's a shame that we won't get to surprise everyone with the change of plans. Alice has no doubt already told everyone."

"Maybe she'll see that we'd rather tell them ourselves," I thought out loud. Alice wouldn't ruin our fun like that, would she?

"Maybe," he agreed. By now, he was all over the room at once, grabbing our belongings and tossing them into the suitcase, which I had just realized was lying open on the bed next to me. I never ceased to be amazed at his unnatural speed. A couple of seconds later, the suitcase was nearly full, and the room was clean, except for a pile of clothes, probably for us to wear.

"Hold on a minute, let me get the rest of our things," he said, just before kissing me on the forehead and darting quickly, yet gracefully, out the door. He lied, it wasn't even a minute before he was back with the rest of the things we'd brought. Besides, of course, my few nightgowns that Edward had accidentally torn to shreds.

Before I knew it, we were on a ferry, then in a car, then on a plane, on our way to Port Angeles. The plane ride was nice, first class, thanks to Edward's obsession with making everything about the trip perfect. I didn't know he counted coming back as part of the trip, though. The instant I stepped out of the gate, Edward following, the arms of someone small were wrapped around me in a shockingly firm hug. There's only one person_ that _short yet _that_ strong… Alice. We hadn't even told anyone when we were coming back. Of course she would know.

"You're back! Yay!" she squealed.

"You're alone?" I asked, confused. Where was everyone else? She didn't tell anyone we were coming back today?

"Of course. I don't like to ruin surprises. And speaking of that… everyone's been dying to hear your news. I told them you had something big to tell, not revealing the actual surprise, naturally." She smiled, obviously excited over the impending reactions of our family upon our telling them about the college thing.

Edward, who hadn't said anything yet, chimed in with a sarcastic, "Hello to you, too, Alice." He smiled when he said it, though.

"Well _you_ can read my mind. You already _know_ I'm happy to see you. Bella is the only one here who needs me to say it out loud," she replied.

"Right. Well let's get home… to _our_ home." Edward looked at me when he said the last part. _Our home_. I liked the sound of that.

"Okay, but I'm driving!" Alice said, a grin spread across her face.

"That's okay, Bella and I can sit together in the back," he said, a similar grin spread across his angelic face. I was suddenly grateful that Edward had suggested carrying our luggage on. I wanted to get home as soon as possible for a multitude of reasons, and it was convenient to have our luggage with us already.

While Alice and Edward practically danced their way to the airport exit, my clumsy gait could barely pass for a walk, no doubt looking even clumsier next to them. There_ were_ the reasons why I wanted to be a vampire. We all climbed in Alice's shiny yellow Porsche, which was a 'thanks-for-babysitting-my-human' gift from Edward a while back.

The ride home went quickly, but it was nice all the same. Mostly Alice just rambled about all the stupid fights Jasper and Emmett had while we were gone, as I cuddled in Edward's arms in the back seat. You wouldn't think that a cold, hard, stone body would be much fun to cuddle with, but being in Edward's arms is one of the most comfortable places I know. It seemed like seconds later, we were winding through the overgrown path that led to the Cullens' mansion of a house. It was hard to get used to the idea that it was now _my_ house as well, but Edward and I would be living somewhere else for a year while we were at Dartmouth. We'd probably be leaving in a few days, in fact. No one else besides Alice and us knew that yet, though.

A wave of excitement surged through me as I stepped out of the car. _I _didn't like to be surprised, but surprising _others_ was always fun. Alice half-ran to the door, while Edward and I walked hand in hand, following her towards the huge, beautiful white house. Immediately after stepping through the door, yet again, I was pulled into a hug. This time, however, it was most certainly _not_ a small person hugging me. Huge, muscular arms squeezed me hard enough that I couldn't breathe, but just gentle enough not to bruise me. Just how I remember Emmett's hugs.

"Bella! Edward!" Emmett yelled happily as he released me, just soon enough not to suffocate me. He both sounded and looked genuinely glad to see us.

"Hey, Emmett," Edward and I said in unison.

"Alice, I thought you were going shopping!" Emmett yelled in a jokingly angry sort of way.

"I did. I never said I wouldn't do anything else though," Alice replied, smiling.

The rest of my new family probably heard that little conversation, what with their amazing vampire hearing and all. Or maybe it was just because Emmett was so loud. In any case, Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, and Rosalie appeared in the room faster than I would have thought possible.

Everyone else welcomed us back. Even Rosalie actually looked happy to see me, though we'd been on better terms lately, anyway. After all hellos were done, Edward decided it was time to tell them.

"Everyone, Bella and I have some good news," he began.

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Review and tell me what you think! :) It's my first fanfic.


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